The general strike called this Thursday by Portugal’s main unions to protest against the labor reform proposed by the government of Prime Minister Luís Montenegro (center-right) began to be felt in the early hours in transport, particularly in Lisbon.
This is the first strike in Portugal in 12 years, since the time of the “troika”. The country’s main unions called for this day of protest against the labor reform project proposed by the Montenegrin executive which, according to worker representatives, facilitates layoffs, deregulates hours and affects rights such as breastfeeding leave.
The capital’s metro has been closed since last midnight and will remain so all day, and there are no urban buses either, even though Carris, the company managing public surface transport in Lisbon, has guaranteed the operation of twelve lines without determining the timetables. There will also not be medium or long distance trains in all countries.
At Humberto Delgado International Airport, Portuguese airline TAP plans to operate a third of its flights. This Thursday, Air Europa canceled its 16 flights to or from Portugal and Iberia will reduce its routes by up to 75%.
On Wednesday evening, the general secretary of the General National Inter-Union Confederation of Portuguese Workers (CGTP-IN), Tiago Oliveira, called for participation in this strike “to give a sign of rejection” to the changes proposed by the Executive to the Labor Code and affirmed that minimum services will be respected.
“The government wants to put an end to the right to a stable life, a dignified life with prospects for the future,” Oliveira said, according to the Lusa agency.
This Thursday, a big march is planned in Lisbon from 2:30 p.m. local time and other parallel times in Porto, Braga, Évora, Faro, Guarda, Coimbra, Leiria, Santarém, Setúbal and Viana do Castelo, among others.
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